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A DEADLY BLIZZARD with bone-chilling winds and potentially record-breaking snowfall slammed the eastern US this morning as officials urged millions in the storm’s path to seek shelter, warning the worst is yet to come.
US news reports said at least eight people had died by late yesterday from causes related to the monster snowstorm, which is expected to last until early tomorrow.
Forecasters predict the storm could dump more than two feet of snow in Washington DC and the surrounding area by late today, bringing life to a wintry halt as residents ride out the rough weather.
“The real teeth of this #winterstorm will be after midnight thru early Sat afternoon. Heavy snow, increasing winds, lightning threat,” the National Weather Service (NWS) tweeted.
A blizzard warning was in effect for a large swathe of the eastern United States from Washington up to New York.
The storm is expected to affect about 85 million Americans — about one quarter of the inhabitants of the United States. Before it’s all over, it could cause more than $1 billion (€920 million) in damage, NWS officials said.
Several southern states, meanwhile, were already hit by snow and sleet – unusual for the region – with tens of thousands without power.
Frantic shoppers emptied grocery store shelves in preparation for the storm, dubbed “Snowzilla” by some US media, and schools and government offices in Washington were all closed.
“I think it’s going to be a disaster,” Sharonda Brown, a nurse, said as she waited for an Uber car with a full cart of groceries at a Washington supermarket stormed by shoppers.
Winds were expected to pick up overnight, prompting Washington’s police chief Cathy Lanier to urge residents to stay indoors.
“With the increasing winds and increasing snow accumulation, now we’re going to see more and more people stranded,” she told CNN.
Crews were out clearing the roads throughout the US capital, while others turned to shovels.
Among them was 28-year-old William Duren, who was clearing a sidewalk outside a downtown Washington hotel.
“Usually when we see snow in the forecast, it turns out to be only an inch or so. They always exaggerate on TV,” he said, before adding that this time, the forecasters appeared to be right.
“It’s a doozy,” Duren said.
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What did she die of? She died of a Thursday. Lucky to live so long and with no suffering in the end. What a way to go …
Obviously was a very strong lady who was working right to the end and having read a number of very funny stories about the many things that she did and her funny character side she seemed like a very normal lady behind it all
Really who cares.
@Ciaran O Moore: let me be the first to say it….”you care enough to comment” :)
@Ciaran O Moore: a great many people, which is why it’s international news.
@Ciaran O Moore: future historians
@Ciaran O Moore: I think we all prefer a bit of Ciaran O Less
@HarveyLemonade: brilliant!
@Ciaran O Moore: Charles I’d say. He was afraid she’d outlive him.
So what! We kind of worked it out anyway. The English news was extended from 5 o’clock in the evening earlier than normal and a family of human beings had time to grieve for an hour or two before the media went crazy so what!
@Anne Marie Kearney: Sad human response!
I’d say it was the papparazi.
The certificate was signed by Dr F. Obvious.
All i see is that we were robbed of three extra hours of absolute solid hardcore wall-to-wall mourning. I will never forget the Brits for this over anything else. How very dare they.
Would she have known she was going to die?
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